Another noob, a little scared to show my knives.

I have lurked on this site for a long time then finally took the plunge into beginner knifemaking. I started collecting the tools that I need to get started. I watched dozens of YouTube vids then started grinding. I am proud of my work and those I have given them to really liked them. However, i have a confession to make that might stir up no small amount of controversy. You see, I pin my scales. Furthermore, I have been using saw blades for my material. I would like to get the opinions of this board without getting my head chopped off. I guess I will monkey with the instructions on how to post pics and put something up in the next few days.

Sir, please share them. We are not all that bad and that thread became a chit show for no good reason. 99% are appreciative of a craftsman so please do not let that 1% scare you.

Post them up. We love to see one of a kind hand made knives. Being re purposed makes them cool, because there is a story to the steel, which cannot be said of bar stock.

From one beginner to another, post them up!
I’ve posted some of mine and I am the first to admit that practice practice practice is the approach to making good knives into great knives. I used saw blades, lawn mower blades, etc when I first started and still have some saw blades I’m going to use to make some thinner fiillet-type knives out of.

Now I just buy preground flat bar stock of a particular steel like 1095, O1, D2, etc and start there. I been doing it for a couple years now and still don’t have all the tools I’d like to have but I make do with what I do have. I still to this day watch knife making videos on YouTube to give me ideas, motivation, and learn different techniques. No matter how good you are or become, there will ALWAYS be someone who doesn’t like it or is overly critical of it or you. YOU get to choose what impacts you, for good or bad.

I know my knives/designs are not as refined as others and I’m ok with that. I may get there one day but for now I just ignore the nay sayers and focus on the positives.

You will typically find that other knife makers will be the ones who give you praise and recognize your efforts but also give you constructive feedback. Those that just comment to bash you or your work typically have never made a knife and couldn’t do it half as well as what you did...

I’ll be happy to teach you how to post pics. If you’ll send me a PM.... I’ll walk you thru it.

Post them up. I still use pins on some of my knives as well as repurposed steel. Just because the 1% doesn't like pins dosen't make them a bad thing. Knife makers have been using pins longer than some makers that criticize them have been alive. I buy a lot of bar stock and Alabama Damascus billets to make knives from but to me, properly heat treated repurposed steel can make a good knife.

Post 'em up!

I haven’t ventured into any other fasteners besides pins yet.
My finishing work needs work but I’ll post a few pics of my newb works.

Not able to post pics for some reason... Hmmm

Thanks for the encouragement fellas. Give me a day or two and I'll see what I can do.

Nothing wrong with pinning/Epoxy. And, I've made several blades out of industrial hacksaw blades.

Let's see 'em......

Send it!

I'm way more a function over fashion guy. You ought to see how banged up my rifles and scopes are. But they can make hits on tiny targets far away.

If you made a knife, that has hard steel, holds and edge, and has some kind of handle. IT IS A KNIFE!

Post some pictures; respectable knife makers will not criticize your work they might even give you some free advice. We all had to start somewhere. I started with files and gave most of them away. Don't ever be ashamed of your work. Feel free to PM anytime, I can't tell you how many newbies I've helped, that's why we are here. BTW, I use pins and mechanicals depending the use, I've sold several thousand knives and NEVER had a handle come off. Most of us make more than one kind of knife.

We are still waiting on PICTURES!!!

Sorry guys, life gets in the way sometimes. I will work on that this evening.